If one’s life was a library, my time at Xavier would have its own glorious bookshelf, and each subject would have a specific book assigned to it.

Spanish would be Percy Jackson and the Olympians, because it is fun and full of adventures. I never quite knew where Percy Jackson would take me, but I always knew it would be a great ride.

Math would be Shakespeare. A lot of the time, I don’t know what’s going on and just wait for the teacher to tell me what to do. Then, I start to catch on and almost have fun, key word being “almost.” That fun is ruined when the teacher moves on to the next paragraph, and I return to being clueless.

Social Studies would be A Thousand Splendid Suns because I actually learned things from it, and I was moved to see the world through a different point of view. I obtained a knowledge of cultures that seem so very different from mine but really give me insight into my own life.

Science would be Dante’s Inferno; do I really need to explain why?

Theology and Campus Ministry would be The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Sometimes it made me laugh out loud, and other times it made me cry, in a good, restorative way. Overall, it helped me to realize that life has its ups and downs, but it is always beautiful.

The English department would be Harry Potter, as it is full of magic. It always feels like home, and is full of some life-long relationships I am glad to have been introduced to. What can I say? Harry Potter has always been my favorite. It, like the Xavier English Department, has touched me in ways that will follow me forever.

However, while Xavier has its own shelf, it can also be characterized by its own book. As a whole, my Xavier experience would be The Outsiders. When I started, I thought it was going to be a long story of teenagers doing stupid things, but it turned out to be funny, sad, beautiful, and over before I knew it. I want to read it again and again. In essence, like Ponyboy, Xavier High School is pure gold. Stay gold, Xavier High School. Stay gold.

Kathleen Kenney

A&E Writer